gurdymonkey | Sometimes you have to fish or cut bait.

Sakura Pen-Touch gold metallic marker. Good color. Good coverage. Even distribution of pigment.

The perfectionist is itching to paint it all out and start again. No, to be truthful, the perfectionist is calling herself a moron because the water lines wouldn't suck anywhere near as much if she had painted the end pieces BEFORE assembling the box.

The pragmatist is saying, "Enough, already. It has to dry so you can load the party gear into it and have it in the truck tomorrow night."

Last week on the Tokyo episode of "No Reservations," Tony Bourdain asked several masters of their arts (kendo, ikebana, sushi preparation, bladesmithing) whether perfection is possible. Each in his own way said more or less, "No, of course not, but the point is to strive for it anyway."

Sigh. At least I have someplace to keep the tea things now.

Technically, it's not finished. I won't have time to polyurethane it until after Purgatorio. I also don't have any lifting hardware on the sides. Ideally, it should be a recessed crescent shaped pull, but I haven't found anyone who makes them. Round ones, sure. Ugly modern oval ones, of course. The sorts of things you find on sliding closet doors and office furniture. If I find something that looks like cast iron tansu hardware, I'll mount it. Otherwise, I won't bother.

EDIT: This just in from Hiraizumi-sensei over on the Tousando board. Understand that when Sensei tells one of the guys, "You suck," it really means, "Beautiful work, you nailed it." I have been trying for YEARS to provoke a "You suck" of my very own out of him. This is an historic moment, not to mention an ironic one. Because, of course, Sensei is looking at the same small scale photos you are and cannot see just how much this project truly does, well, suck.

EDIT The Second: Because honesty is all and perfection was definitely not attained, you may judge for yourself by examining the paintwork in greater detail here.

EDIT The Third: It has been brought to my attention that I am being obsessive. Again.

Well, yes. I did this last year with the Tosenin Kosode. I saw every flaw because I'd had my nose pressed up against the silk for weeks. I hated it. It was awful, it was never going to be all I wanted it to be - until I put it on at an event and actually saw myself in a full length mirror.

Perhaps it will look better arranged artistically next to the koi pond. (The makings of which I'd better finish packing!)